Help is What I Need
by Brijustme
Summary: Her crippled mother found out that she purposely hurt herself. She also found out why she was never at school. Her mother sent her strait to him, Takahashi Sesshomaru. Only he could understand her words. She needed help. ***SESSKAG***
1. Chapter 1

¤¤**Help is What I Need**¤¤

Chapter #1

* * *

Higurashi Kagome tried to stay awake and listen to the lecture being told before her by no other than her principal. Her attention span was turning on and off, and she felt her ears tune out the man's words of little encouragement; she detected a trace of disappointment in his tone.

'So tired…' she thought as she slouched in her chair, only to be snapped awake when her principal's hands slammed on his brown desk in front of her, causing her to gasp and let her red eyes watch him with a bored expression on her face.

"Hai," she said with a nod, trying her best to remember what he had been saying earlier.

The man stood and straightened his red tie. "Miss Higurashi…" he said with a wag of the finger. "You had one of the highest GPA's this school has ever seen," he said while sitting down again. "But not anymore. Your grades have dropped dramatically, and all your teachers have been noticing you take a snooze in class on a daily basis—" He paused. "Or whenever you grace your teachers with your little presence; whichever works."

Kagome yawned, feeling much up to that snooze this very moment. "Uh huh," she said while starting to slouch a second time, but only to be snapped awake again by her principal's hands slamming on his desk. "I'll do my…" She felt her eyes drift shut.

"_Miss Higurashi_!" the principal yelled while slamming his hands on his desk again, causing his student to sit up with a jerk. "You're so malnourished that you can't even finish your sentences!" he shouted at her, seeming to get nothing back from the girl but a mumble that was incoherent. He exhaled deeply and stared at her deep brown eyes. "Miss Higurashi, do your best to get your grades up or I'll be forced to contact your mother."

Kagome gasped. "But she can't—" Her eyes widened, and she nodded when her principal reached his hand towards the black phone to his right, near the computer, and she knew he meant business. "Yes sir," she said while standing when he pointed to the door. Her hand clutched the report card in her hand.

"Have a look at that report card of yours."

Turning at the closed door, she nodded and took the pressure off the paper. "Yes sir," she said again as he reached for the phone another time in slow motion. 'Telling Mama that I'm not doing well in school will…' She paused and held her head with her right hand. Maybe she _was_ malnourished…

"Have a nice day," the principal said while sitting down. "And look at your attendance record. It's so odd, don't you think?" he said while pointing to the white piece of paper in Kagome's hand. "You manage to make it to school for your first period, and then you just disappear until sixth period…" He looked at her. "Perhaps I should _investigate_—" He got wide eyes as a reply. "Or _trust_ that you'll be in class from now on?"

Kagome could only nod and quickly open the door, meeting the main office of her school. "I'll work on that," she said as she closed the door, and instantly the smell of coffee, donuts, and ringing phones came to view.

Then the familiar chime rang.

Kagome put a strand of hair behind her ear and checked her watch. She sighed at the time. "Late," she said while leaving the office. She was met with empty hallways. Not a soul was in the green halls of her private high school.

She checked her watch again. 'Thirty seconds late…' she thought as she yawned. "I'll just sleep for awhile, and then get to class." She knew her options were showing how lazy and tired she was, but she was truly lazy and tired deep down. She had become lazy over the past year, and now her principal was taking her matters into his hands.

What was a girl to do in her position? She had a month to improve her grades as much as she could, or else the closest thing to college she'd be getting to is a cash register. And looking at her grades, she needed major help.

"My spot."

* * *

"Good morning, Shikon no Tama students. Happy Wednesday! Remember that next Thursday is the last day to buy yourself a dance ticket so you can shake your bonbons and have a good time at the dance next Friday…"

Kagome listened to the morning announcements as she looked down at her report card with a deadly look on her pale face. "I've been absent thirty-seven times for science," she said while crumpling the piece of paper, and then opening it to see the rest of her grades and unexcused absences.

Her head was held in her bony right hand; she was obviously devastated.

Still, she tried to listen to what else was happening in school that day, even if she would miss most of it, causing her principal to go bananas. "Geography—F. Math—D. English—F. PE—F. Science—F." Her eyes brightened at her last grade, but not enough to make her cheer herself on. "Art—_A_."

Art was the only class she tried her best to show up to everyday. It was one of the only classes she never fell asleep in. "Kaede is so nice to me too…" she said while leaning against the water heater she was seated in front of.

She remembered when she had good grades. She remembered when she was popular. She remembered when as soon as she would break up with a boyfriend that another one would be right around the corner. She remembered when her life was meaningful.

"Not anymore," she whispered as she reached into her brown backpack… pulling out a blade from a pair of scissors. She lifted the sleeve of her green school uniform and angled the blade, ready to strike. She paused when she heard footsteps coming from somewhere.

"_Hey! We can ditch up here!"_

Her eyes widened, and she quickly grabbed her things and hid behind the water heater. It was dark behind it, for the front half was facing the sun. She decided to take a nap and wait for the intruders on her roof to go to class.

* * *

Kagome took in a large gulp of air. 'Home,' she said to herself as she walked up the three steps that led to her condo home. '…But it doesn't feel like home since-' Pausing before even thinking of her father and brother, she put her plain silver key into the lock and turned the doorknob.

She inhaled deeply. She could smell the perfume she had used that morning even if she was just stepping into her home. This was it. A house no, but a home was what it was in her eyes. 'The only place where I feel safe…' The corners of her lips curved upwards.

"Mama," she called as she closed the door behind her with a smile on her face. At least there was one person that appreciated her wellbeing. "Where are you?" she asked as she took off her brown shoes, as well as her backpack. "Did you get off the couch today?"

She ignored the report card.

"In here!" she heard a cheerful voice call, and she took off into that direction. She knew by heart where her mother always was, unless she was rarely in her room. "Kagome-chan, how was school?"

Laughing lightly, Kagome bent over the couch in her living room. It was green and comfy in her mother's perspective, which was the main reason why she preferred it over the twin sized bed in her room. "How was your day?" she asked as she moved a strand of her mother's short hair out of her face, kissing her cheek. "_Productive_, I hope?"

The woman playfully stuck her tongue out at her daughter. "I wish," she said with a sigh as she looked down at her still legs. "I hope to get out of this place someday soon." She looked at her daughter with sad eyes. "Dear, I need to work. I put too much pressure on you with sch-"

"School is fine," Kagome butted in. "Mama, stop talking like that." Hopping over the couch, she sat in her mother's still lap… that would remain still for the rest of her days. "Any movement?" she asked as she poked her mother's pale white leg.

Mrs Higurashi shook her head. "No dear," she said while lying her head comfortably down on the huge couch's armrest. "I don't think my old legs will ever move again," she said while exhaling deeply. "I'm sorry for making you take care of-"

"_Mama_," Kagome said with narrowed eyes, and instantly her mother quieted herself. "You're not a burden _at all_, and it's getting annoying with you telling me this everyday." Standing, she stretched her arms over her head. "Hungry?" she asked as she yawned. "Want something to eat before I have to go to work?"

"…May I go with you today?"

* * *

Kagome was utterly shocked. 'Ever since the car accident…' Getting out of the small car that used to belong to her mother, she quickly got the wheelchair from the trunk and went to the passenger's seat. 'Mama's been afraid to leave the house.'

Kagome still smiled and opened the door, ignoring her worries and troubles temporarily. "Careful," she said as she took her mother's hand, lifting her frail body into her arms. She placed the woman in the wheelchair. "Comfy?" she asked as she pushed her mother onto the curb.

"Yes, dear. Why?"

Kagome looked down at the woman, let go of the wheelchair when her mother nodded, and looked to the sky. "We haven't been out together in two weeks—I was just curious, it's nothing to worry about, Mama."

Mrs Higurashi nodded sweetly. "Dearest, you can say all you want, but a crippled woman with the bottom half of her body paralyzed knows when something is going on." She turned around outside of the diner with the smile still on her face. "A mother also knows when it's the appropriate time to talk to her daughter about her troubles—and now isn't," she said knowingly while ushering her eyes to the window.

Kagome peeked into the restaurant through the window. She sighed when the place was full. "You're right," she said as she pulled the door open for her mother, and instantly the smell of smoked sausages came to view on a plate going to a table. "We'll talk later."

After seating her mother closest to the front counter incase she needed anything, she went to the backroom to change… then the eleven hour shift began.

"And it's only three o'clock," she said as she looked at herself in the locker room mirror.

Her uniform consisted of a white shirt that was designed with pink stripes, a white apron stuffed with napkins and straws, black pants, and the ever-so-skillful old fashioned pink rollerblades with four wheels per rollerblade.

This was work, and it ended in eleven hours.

* * *

"Here you are," Kagome said with a smile as she placed a plate of pancakes down in front of a man that was grinning at her. "Can I get you anything else?" she asked while setting down the syrup bottle in the middle of the table.

The man shook his head. "Nothing at all," he said while looking at the girl before him up and down. "How about a—"

"Get your eyes off my daughter."

And instantly he turned away, doing his best not to blush. "Nevermind," he said as he poked his pancakes with the fork in his hand. "Thank you for your service so early in the morning."

Kagome only smiled and nodded. "You're welcome," she said as she slowly skated across the restaurant to the front desk. There was a table for two to the side.

"_Mama_," she said with narrowed eyes for the tenth time that day, and _that day_ had started an hour ago, making it 1:00am. "Every time I serve a man by himself you do the same thing!" she said in a loud whisper so she wouldn't interrupt the man she had just served.

Mrs Higurashi looked up from her crossword. "I don't trust men," she simply said as she continued her fun. She tried being reasonable. "Dear, he was staring at you."

Kagome's mouth dropped. "You act like I was thinking about dating him!" she said as she raised her hands above her head. "_Mama_! What kind of girl do you think I am? I'm not like girls at school!"

Mrs Higurashi wagged her finger. "_Dear…_"

Kagome ignored the woman and pulled up a chair. The entire diner was empty, and the only ones in the place were the cook, she, her mother and the pedestrian eating his pancakes quickly after getting a severe warning to leave her alone.

"Want something to eat?" she asked as she took her mother's empty cup of coffee. "Do you feel dizzy? Do you think you're losing blood anywhere?" she questioned, ready to call the paramedics at the slightest nod.

Mrs Higurashi shook her head. "Dear," she began with a sigh. "You shoved two plates full of pancakes down my throat, as well as over a dozen strips of bacon." She looked at her daughter with appreciative eyes. "Darling, sometimes enough really means _enough_."

Kagome nodded and noticed her mother's bloated stomach. "Gomen…" she said slowly with a yawn. She was temped to lift her arms above the square shaped table and pass out. Someone had called in sick and couldn't work, so she was taking over their shift. Another _hour_.

And she had to close up.

* * *

"Thank you for coming with me today," Kagome said while looking down at her mother in her arms. She had indeed shrunk since she had become paralyzed, but the two were still the same size. "I felt less… alone."

"Dear, you always have me with you," Mrs Higurashi said with a smile while pecking her daughter on the cheek. "I am only not able to go where you go… but I can go if you take me with you." She closed the door behind Kagome as they entered their humble home of a year. "Tired, darling?"

Kagome slowly shook her head and leaned against the tan walls of her home. "The couch?" she said as she led the way with her eyes closed, knowing her house backwards and front.

"You're tired dear, and I don't want you to kill me by trying to carry me upstairs…"

"The couch it is," Kagome said while stopping in front of it and gently laying her mother on it. She grabbed the quilt that was neatly folded on the coffee table and placed it over her mother's crippled body.

"Sweet dreams," Kagome said as she kissed her mother on the forehead.

"Dear, I should be saying those very words to you…"

Kagome looked down at her mother with an emotionless look on her face.

"Get some sleep, Mama," she said quietly as she ruffled her mother's hair and turned out the light. She said nothing more as she silently left her living room and started traveling down the long hallway that would lead to her own room. She hardly ever slept in it, for she preferred her mother's room that was upstairs. Tonight was one of those nights.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached the end of the hallway, a large square that was outlined in dark blue being the only light coming from outside and inside as she turned her doorknob and stepped inside.

"All…" She couldn't finish her own sentences as she closed her bedroom door and leaned upon it. "_Done_." Her eyes peered open and she crawled over towards her bed and jumped in.

She didn't bother to turn on the light, and figured that her own window with open wooden blinds was all the light she needed. 'I still… have so much… homework…' She didn't look when she stroked her target. 'So… much to do…'

She reached under her bed and pulled out a red shoebox that made a _clingy_ sound.

Opening it, Kagome pulled out a razor blade and cotton balls.

"I… _hate her_."

* * *

"Morning Mama," Kagome said with a small smile as she poked her head through the kitchen window when her mother's head lifted from the couch. "Breakfast is ready; hungry?"

"You're too kind, darling."

Kagome shook her head, her wet hair sticking to her face. "Not at all. Here, I'll come help you," she said as she slipped off a pink apron with a duck on it and rushed to her mother's side. She had the woman in her arms in no time, and she set the woman down at their round dining table seconds later. "Sleep well?"

"Wonderful…" Mrs Higurashi said as she used her arms to lift her body higher in her wooden chair. "Were you alright last night?" she asked as her daughter handed her a pair of eyeglasses that she was always told to wear. "I thought I heard something from your room last night…" She put a hand on her chin as Kagome combed her short black hair. "I thought it was… crying? Dear, is something wrong?"

Kagome became silent again and returned the comb to the pocket of her green school uniform skirt. "Nothing, Mama," she said while shuffling into the kitchen and returning with two over-easy eggs and wheat toast, as well as a cup of coffee. "You sure you weren't just imagining it?"

Mrs Higurashi shook her head and thanked her daughter. She noticed… a spot of blood on Kagome's school uniform shirt that had long sleeves. It was just below her wrist. "Dear…" she said slowly. "Have you had a nosebleed?"

Kagome hurriedly set the plate and mug down before her mother and pulled her sleeves down so they were covering her hands as well. "Y-yes," she said with a smile. "It's the reason why I was awake all night and this morning. It just wouldn't stop," she said calmly as she sat across from her mother and watched her eat, and then fed her two of her pink pills that she had to take twice a day.

'I have to take a double shift today,' she thought while smiling sweetly at her mother. 'I have to pay the electricity and water bills today or they'll shut off.' Standing and taking the plate and mug when they were for sure empty, she sighed.

'This means I'll have to cut most of school.'

* * *

Mrs Higurashi stared at the television across the living room as she lifted her head from her television. 'Kagome is working her body and mind too hard… just for me,' she thought as the phone on the couch started glowing green.

She scrambled to pick it up.

"Moshimoshi?"

"Hello there," a male voice said into the phone. "Is this the parent or guardian of a Miss Higurashi Kagome?" the principal said from his office as he looked outside of his huge window, staring at the front of his campus.

"Yes, this is."

"Great… great," he said as he rubbed his chin. Leaning his elbow in the armrest, he exhaled deeply, causing slight noise to echo into the other line. "I was just wondering-"

"Did my little Kagome win an award for something?"

The man shook his head, his almost black eyes staring at the blazing sun. "No… not exactly," he said as he turned around and faced forward in his office. He was quiet for sometime before looking at the file spread out on his desk. It was Kagome's and had all her information on it, including the fact that the woman he was talking on the phone with, Higurashi Suzume, was handicap.

'Where is that girl?' he said to himself. He had previously gotten a call from a university. They had declined one of the many applications that Kagome had sent when she was a junior. Apparently she had missed too many days of school—they were right. 'And enough is enough,' he thought as he returned his gaze to outside. Kagome was absent, and he had given her enough warnings.

"Your daughter…"

Mrs Higurashi smiled.

"Yes?"

* * *

Brijustme: This is going to be very short and is sort of a side project that I've been working on for the past week. No, I don't cut myself; I just wanted to get that cleared! If you don't mind, please listen to the song _Ordinary_ by TRAIN. It matches this story perfectly, or better yet, _Crawling_ by Linkin Park.

**Much Love**


	2. Chapter 2

¤¤**Help is What I Need**¤¤

Chapter #2

* * *

A girl with long brown hair sat down before a wooden desk and put on her glasses. "Another day of filing," she said with a half smile as the door to the counselor's office opened. She tried not to roll her eyes, and instead took a handful of jellybeans that were in a jar to her left. She was the student aide.

In stepped the counselor with her eyes blazing red and manila folders in her hands. They each had a huge X on them that was in red marker.

She tipped her head to the side in curiosity.

"Nani?"

The woman stared down at the girl in her desk, and took a handful of jellybeans as well, shoving them all into her mouth. "Don't you _nani_ me…" she said under her breath as she slammed the folders on the table. "_Two_ failures; _no_ colleges will accept them with these grades," she said as she put a lock of black hair behind her ear. "It's only _December_."

The girl gasped and stared at the folders. "You do know that this is a private school?" she asked while tipping her head to the side. "Know how much money it takes a year to keep just _one_ student in this school?" She paused when the woman looked down at her with glaring eyes. "I'm sure they can keep—"

The woman put her hands on her hips and stared the girl down. "Sango, don't be ridiculous," she said with a huff. "Your father already called the first parent, and they cried over the phone and begged him to let their son still attend this school." She sighed and stared at her nails for a short time, temporarily forgetting that she had to jog down into her computer that two students didn't qualify for graduation already.

"Eh? Please don't be so dramatic."

"_Dramatic_?" the woman put her hand on her forehead and noticed that it was slightly wet; sweat. "Oh dear, I suppose that I am being dramatic just a smidge," she said with a small smile as she walked to her desk and looked over Sango's shoulder at the file that was now in her hand. "Checking her out?" she asked as she came down to Sango's level. "I haven't had a chance to look at her file yet."

Sango only shook her head with a giggle as she looked at the folders before her; one was in her hand, and the other had no information in it any longer. Either everything in it was devastating or the student had already done what they thought was best and dropped out.

'I can't believe this,' she said to herself with narrowed eyes as she looked at the folder, but just the top of it. The flap said the student's name, and either an M or F was placed after the name. Gulping and apologizing for meddling into matters that didn't concern her, she opened the manila folder and gasped.

Her eyes were wide open as she looked at the good report cards. There wasn't a bad remark anywhere. She felt… jealous to know that someone didn't have to try that hard to accomplish good grades that she lived for. 'After all,' she thought while looking up at her mother that was gawking at the grades they were seeing. 'I do everything to get good grades… and Mom and Dad are always there.'

Realization suddenly dawned on her, and she continued to invade the folder.

"Check all over," her mother said while ruffling her hair.

With given permission, Sango grabbed a report card from last year and held it close to her face. There wasn't anything below an A. 'I have to work so hard to get grades like this…' she thought as she saw one that was more current. She held this one close to her face as well. This report card was… **awful**. Red markings here, more red markings _there_.

"I mean, how can someone suddenly _fail_ all of a sudden?"

Sango's mother shook her head. "There are plenty of options for me to say to your question," she said with a motherly smile as she started walking to the door of her office again. "There's a need that the student thinks they don't need to attend school; there's laziness; there's abuse or—" She paused and turned around so she was facing Sango. "There's something going on at home… if you know what I mean." She added a wink to her statement.

Sango stared at the last name.

'…_Higurashi_?'

She blinked twice.

'Don't I know you?'

* * *

"_Yes_?"

The principal paused and stared at the receiver to his left. Knowing who it was immediately, he put the woman on hold and pressed number eight on the phone; he smiled. "_Yes_?"

"Hold the parent; _please_."

He was confused, but nodded his head to the beeping phone; he trusted his daughter. He felt the situation Higurashi Kagome was in and sighed as he put the mother back on. He knew that she was probably baffled by the way he hung up on her so rationally.

"S-she's doing excellent. In fact, she's working on an honor's diploma." He rubbed his temples harshly when he heard a gasp from the other line and stammers asking if he was serious. "I just called to inform you that she is doing very well at this school—" He looked up when his office door opened. "We wish we had more students like her."

"I'll be sure to let her know how proud I am of her when she returns from school."

The man yet again rubbed his temples as he stared at the girl before her. She was in a regular green uniform just like the rest of the female students at his school, but she was wearing a pair of rectangular frames that were on the bridge of her nose, and she was smiling at him. What bothered him was that her hands were behind her back.

After ending the phone conversation and using the house known excuse that he had a meeting to get to, he bid the woman farewell. He then sat at his desk, leaning in his chair with his eyes closed for several minutes.

"…Sir?"

Opening his eyes at the voice, he smiled at the girl before her. "Sango," he said as he ushered with his hand for the girl to come forth. It didn't take long for something heavy to plop into his lap. "How are you this morning?" he asked as his daughter started fiddling with his tie like she always did. "Is there something you want?"

"Yes," Sango said while looking up at her father. "Yes, there is," she pointed out as she flicked him on the forehead. "I want to help someone," she said with a determined smile. "Think of it as my first real project." Her father didn't look too convinced, and she grinned. "My mother is scaring every student that walks into her office."

The principal nodded. 'She does tend to do that…' he thought as he exhaled deeply. "Sango… it's not that I don't want you to… it's just that…" he paused and turned around in his chair and watched as the rain began to pour; it would probably bring snow. "I don't trust her."

"You don't even know her," Sango said with narrowed eyes. "Two weeks; give me two weeks." She clasped her hands together. "Two weeks is all I'm asking for." It was quiet after that. She wanted to have this girl strait by Christmas. But when her father remained silent, she made a motion to get out of her father's lap. "Alrig-"

"Fill out a file for Higurashi—"

"_Kagome_?"

He looked down at his daughter with a smile. She practically knew every name of every student crammed into this school like it was on the back of her hand. He didn't find it too odd that she was also a smart girl… just like Higurashi Kagome. He would kill himself if his daughter were to stoop so low. Sometimes students of his needed a _push_, and this was what his failing student was going to get. A hard one, too.

"Yes. She'll be seeing the **counselor** shortly."

Sango nodded and spun around to leave.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Thank you so much," Kagome said to the man as he pulled two cords out of the engine of her car. "I really appreciate it." Closing the hood of her mother's old car, she smiled sweetly at the man as he put the jumper cords into the trunk of his gold minivan. In a short while he was gone and out of her sight, and the smile fell from her face as she checked her watch.

She had gotten off work early because it was incredibly slow, and thanks to her car not starting, she had missed sixth period. She hadn't been there in two days already, but no one needed to know that information on the teacher's roster. 'I'm sure that I've fallen behind even more now…' She checked her watch again, only to see that one minute had passed.

"I have to go check on Mama as well…" She sighed and wiped a lock of wet hair from the rain out of her face. It had started falling over an hour ago.

"Rain won't stop me," he said with little confidence as she got into the torn leather seat of her mother's car and held herself, hoping to warm her body; it was December. She shook her personal thoughts away and put the shaking car in gear.

Pulling out of the parking lot, she took off into the busy streets of the early afternoon and headed for school. She had no choice but to wait until she got home in a few hours to check on her mother. 'Let's see…' Kagome thought as she pulled onto the freeway. Her high school was quite far away from her job, and then her home was even farther. 'I left Mama lunch, the remote and phone…'

She looked down into the passenger's seat and picked up her out of date cell phone that was going to be turned off later that day if she didn't pay the electricity bill. Part of it included her own phone incase of an emergency while her mother was at home by herself. 'Everything cost something…' she thought as her phone started vibrating in her hand. The number on the screen said it all: it was a bill collector.

"_Moshimoshi_?" she said with a groan.

"Miss Higurashi, we need you here right away."

"But—"

"It regards your mother."

* * *

Kagome walked down the halls of her school with sixth period already being over. No one in the halls stopped to talk to her since she had muted herself from the crowd years ago. Keeping in touch with friends and having sleepovers with _knowing_, deep inside your heart that they could never happen made her… upset. With students at her school thinking that she was crazy wasn't a good impression. 'Even the freshmen…' she thought with a sigh.

They didn't even know her.

'Mama doesn't like visitors at all since the accident,' she said to herself as she tried to remember where her locker was. Getting back on track, she continued on her way through the green hallways to where she had to get her three-inch textbook for art class.

'I hate her…' Kagome thought as she held the pink piece of paper in her white hand. 'I'm going to have to work some more…' she said to herself with a sigh. She had gotten five hours of sleep these past two days, and none of these hours or minutes were meaningful.

She somehow made it to her locker in one piece and banged her head against it several times, and she took no notice to the two popular girls chatting two lockers away. One shook her head at her, and Kagome knew who it was immediately by the snarl that left her mouth: it was Kagura.

The other one was silent for a few seconds, and Kagome actually lifted her head and went on with entering her locker combination. 'That really smart girl…' she thought as the girl with the rectangular frames looked away. 'She's always in the counselor's room and in the office…'

Kagome opened her green locker and threw her worn brown backpack inside.

The late bell rang, and she opened her hand as it did, ignoring the students that continued on their ways to class. 'I've gotta pay this…' she thought as she looked at the many zeroes on her receipt for her mother's medication for her spine. 'Mama won't last much longer without them…' She was months beind.

She hated admitting that two pink pills taken three times a day were keeping her mother alive… but it was the truth. Kagome had been pulling triple shifts, and with her being the only family member—

"_Alive_," she said with a hiss. "I've got to do it; _alone_." She slammed her locker shut and stuffed the receipt into the pocket of her damp skirt.

It wasn't long before she was sitting in the last seat of the first row in her art class; today it was boring. They weren't drawing anything, but more along the lines of learning about different Japanese artists. She could tell that gasps were being sent her way backwards and front by the way everyone was turned and staring at her intensively.

She would stick her tongue out at them occasionally, and then continue looking out the window. 'It started snowing,' she thought as white dots started filling the air. 'I love it out there…'

"Miss Higurashi?"

She flinched and focused herself as she looked up at the shadow covering her. She noticed that the girl in front of her, the popular girl with the frames, was looking back at her with curiosity.

Kagome smiled when it was only her art teacher, Kaede.

"You're needed in the counselor's office."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Sango, you're needed as well."

* * *

"So, you do the morning announcements?"

"Yes." Sango walked alongside Higurashi Kagome while looking at her feet. 'She's so quiet…' she said to herself as she looked over at the girl next to her. She had long black hair that was left down, almost light brown colored eyes that looked dull, and skin almost the color of paper.

'She smells like sausage…' she thought with a light laugh.

"What's so _funny_?"

Sango's eyes widened as she looked to her right, and she quickly shook her head. "Nothing," she said while holding her hands up in defense. "It was just something funny that happened yesterday."

Kagome looked at Sango with narrowed eyes. 'She's such a… good person.' She gave in and exhaled, blowing her bangs off her forehead in the process. "Well, why don't you tell me all about it?" Crossing her arms over her chest, the two continued on their way to the counselor's office. "I think I could use a laugh."

Sango straightened herself out and eyed Kagome with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she said with a pointed finger. "There are lots of things a person can do to make you laugh."

Kagome stared at Sango square in the face, a smile nowhere on her own, nor was one going to appear. "Try me," she dared as they stopped outside the counselor's office. It was a big oak door with a tag that said COUNSELOR written on it. It was in the main office, which seemed to be empty this morning. She didn't notice that they had walked inside.

Needless to say, Kagome wished she would have been able to clean herself up somewhat. She was almost positive that she looked like a wreak, and now she was regretting the cigarette she had on the long drive to school.

Her eyes widened somewhat when Sango barged in without saying a single word or knocking. She gulped and ran her fingers through her hair before entering as well, closing the door behind her.

"Kagome, welcome, _welcome_."

In a flash was someone standing before her in rather casual clothing. A button down shirt and a black skirt that stopped just above her knees, followed by black pantyhose. The woman's hair was in a messy bun and there was a pencil off to the side inside it. Her makeup was applied perfectly, and the glasses on the bridge of her nose represented pure class.

Just by looking at this woman, Kagome knew that this was going to be a long chat. 'She looks like she talks a lot as well,' she thought as she held her hand out, and Kagome hesitated before shaking it. "Um, uh, thanks for having me," she said politely. "I was sort of wondering why I'm here…"

She noticed that Sango was blushing.

"Oh, right," the counselor said as she walked across the room to her desk. "Sit," she spoke as she sat down. "We have much to talk about; it'll probably take most of the day."

"…Oh." Kagome sat down next to Sango who was already sitting. She noted that she had taken off her shoes and was sitting in the chair in a slouched position. Daring to try that wasn't on her to do list today. She had bills to pay, pills to give, dinner to serve, and work to do. Not to mention her piles of homework.

"Kagome, my husband and I—"

"_Husband_?"

"Your principal."

"Oh…"

"We're concerned about you."

Kagome's eyes widened partially. "I'm not trying to be rude, but may I ask what this is about exactly?" she asked, trying to get to the point. "I'm normal just like everyone else that goes to this school." She didn't mean to point fingers, but— "Just like your daughter."

Sango gasped.

The counselor nodded her head. "I'm not aware of what kind of nor-_mal_ you're speaking of." She said while folding her hands neatly in front of herself on her desk. "Not attending classes, skipping school for multiple amounts of days, looking the way you always do, not turning in homework—" She shook her head. "Something must be going on, and that's why I'm here, to help you get through it."

Kagome stood her ground. "_NOTHING_ is going—"

"Higurashi, I have evidence of you finding your way out of school in multiple amounts of ways," the counselor said flatly. "Video, anonymous sources, take your pick." Her eyes narrowed. "This stops here; _now_. Get your act together."

Kagome said nothing. Even though all this was indeed true, she would rather die than admit any of this herself. She had problems, everyone did, but hers were different from your average teenagers. She wasn't able to take so much pressure and attention.

"Sango will be helping—"

"_No_," Kagome said while standing tall. "_No_, I'm not interested in the help of your angelic daughter." She shook her head fiercely. "I never want to step foot in this school again if all I'm going to get out of here is rejection!" She quickly made her way to the door, right when the woman stood to chase her. "And what _job_ can a counselor do besides call my mother?"

She left.

* * *

Kagome listened to the radio and seemed completely lost as she continued her way home. Her eyes traced to the clock that blinked red numbers. 'School is just getting out,' she said to herself as she got off the freeway. She couldn't take that place anymore; what was the point of being in a place where she didn't belong?

The steady music of her favorite song, Konoyubi Tomare, seemed to make her heart stop beating so fast. It made the tears flow harder though. Maybe she was just overemotional, she would never know for sure.

Five minutes later, she wasn't very proud to be home. She did what she always did. She left the car on, knowing the gas meter was blinking, and rested her head against the steering wheel. She wasn't sure how much longer she would last like this.

She cried.

Wiping her tears quite awhile later, Kagome lifted her head to see that the windows of the car were clouded. She instantly pulled the key out of the ignition, muting the peaceful song playing on the radio. The heat was a luxury, and she wasn't sure how it was turned on. It had started snowing, she came to see, and came to the conclusion that she must have turned it on when she was on the freeway.

She got out into the cold. It had been fine that morning, even though there was a light snow on the ground, but now it was cold, and Kagome quickly checked the mail from the hot pink mailbox before her front door that she had painted herself.

"Mama," Kagome quietly called as she opened and closed the front door. She heard motions throughout the house, something she hadn't heard in awhile. She was careful to wipe the tears from her face before putting on a smile. She leaned against the door and flipped through the mail before putting it on the tiny brown table before it. On it were pictures of old times.

"Kagome, you're home! I'm so proud of you! Your principal gave me a call this morning and said that you were working on an honor's diploma!" her mother's voice rang out from the condo.

Kagome took off in the direction to where her mother was; the living room. "Na… _ni_?" she said with disbelief. Kagome's heart skipped a beat. 'W-what?' she said to herself as her mother grabbed her cold hands and held them in her own. Kagome got down on her knees before the couch that her mother never left from.

"Kagome… I'm so proud of you."

It felt good to hear that.

She gulped.

"T-thank you."

* * *

Brijustme: Thanks so much for the reviews! Remember that this is just a side project and I'll try updating as much as I can. I just wanted to get this out before the next Bad Blood update because it's my birthday on Saturday! Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Think of these first few chapters as the _open_, prologue ones, alright?

**Much Love**


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